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Synopsis
On her first visit to one of the refugee areas, the Prime Minister receives a bouquet of flowers with a death threat in it. Section 9 is called in to provide round-the-clock security for her as they work to catch the would-be assassin. As they do their legwork, more and more links to the mysterious ‘Individual Eleven’ are uncovered.

Meanwhile, Togusa is trying to unravel the reason for a man’s suspicious death, and it leads him into the bowels of Tokyo and a government cover-up. Then, Section 9 is ordered to transport some dangerous plutonium out of one of the refugee districts, and the creepy Gohda is once again given command of the operation.

When it’s all over, the Major and the rest of Section 9 try to figure out exactly how all of these things are linked together. These strange happenings can’t all be coincidence.

Review
Eureka. Finally, I have figured out the way Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG flows. Every episode that is available is a building block to create one whole gigantic bang. No wonder I felt strange when watching this show right after every episode’s end. In volume two, the show continues right where if left off in volume one… boring. But slowly, it gathers itself up as the plot is revealed right before your eyes… or part of it. The unique thing was how during the dialogues, the characters would cite various events that had happened earlier, which as a result, led me to my overall understanding of Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG and refreshes the viewers’ minds of earlier events, that would otherwise be forgotten.

I was pretty down on volume one of this series as it was pretty disappointing. But volume two was an improvement over it. It was more action and less blabbering. Kind of like let the action do the talking instead of the characters being stationary and conversing on the issues at hand. In this volume, it surrounds a grouped called the ‘Individual Eleven.’ As a member of the group carries out an assassination attempt on the prime minister, Section 9 is put in charge of her safety. As that episode comes to an end, we begin with another episode that just kind of continues going on with the overall story, but taking on another mission, which will act as a stepping stone to bring the viewers closer to the true message that 2nd Gig is trying to deliver.

By the time I was done with this volume, I thought it was an enjoyable volume. It was not out of the world by any stretch of the imagination, but it was adequate in a sense that it brings what it has to, to the table and manages to stay interesting and intriguing throughout.

The Breakdown
I wonder why Gohda does not fix his face up :). Anyways, this was a good volume, but my expectations are a bit higher for a title like Ghost in the Shell :/. Maybe it is just me? Hmm…

Synopsis
2009. Ten years of furious conflict and frenzied construction have turned an alien wreck into a human triumph: the colossal space battleship Macross. On the day of the ship’s launch, the world waits with bated breath to witness mankind’s next giant leap. Hovering above the planet, though, the Zentradi, a merciless warrior race, seek to advance their agenda of destruction and conquest. When long-dormant systems aboard the Macross suddenly fire upon the alien fleet, the ship meant to preserve humanity may become its undoing. A war of attrition erupts, taking mankind across the solar system and beyond in a fight to justify its existence!

Review
A classic. Macross was one of the anime shows that pioneered the anime industry that we have today. Let us get down and dirty. From the get go, the theme song sounded liked it was not suitable for the show, but after an episode in, that theme song begins to evolve into something you would look forward to… especially that background music of the song. It makes you say, ‘Ohh… man here we go! YEAH!’ The animation we have here certainly is not top of the line in this era; it is not Macross Zero by any means, but damn it, I was so impressed of how everything moved. It might be old school, but if you watch this show, you would not believe your eyes. Yep, it is that amazing.

On to the plot. Again, top notch, nothing to complain about. I was immediately dragged in by Hikaru Ichijo’s little prank moment that he had in the air show that was going on to celebrate the launching of the Macross. The transition from calm breeze and peace, to missile flying, buildings crumbling and mechas exploding was just smooth and cool. Some of the action even makes you wonder why recent anime cannot achieve what this has. I was awestruck by the level of detail this series contained; in the story line, the characters and the way they interacted with each other, along with the show’s ability to insert a few practical fun moments at the same time to further enhance the entertainment factor for the viewers.

As mentioned previously, the air show gathering prompted the launch of the long in rebuilding progress, Macross battleship. When all things seemed to go on as planned, suddenly the Macross activates its own self defense system and launched a beam of energy powerful enough to reach space and splash a few alien battleships. When that occurred, the aliens were now interested in what the Macross was about, and of course, the invasion begins! With Ichijo strapped into a Valkyrie for testing purposes, he is forced to take off and follow his sempai, Focker, into the battlefields. That is how the plot begins and by the volume’s end, you will be glad that you finally get a chance to view this epic piece.

The Breakdown
Why are not all, if not most, anime can be like this? You know, less being amazed at the details, but more at comprehending what the situation is at hand. I would rather watch a show with a great plot than to watch something where everything seems like a page long run-on sentence. Macross right here, is not about showing off the details, at least, it is not in this time era, instead it bolsters a superb story and makes everything else work together with the story. This is why Macross Vol. 1: Upon the Shoulders of Giants gets my money and so will the rest of the series.

Synopsis
For a hapless young cadet, boot camp is no picnic, and Misaki is as hapless as they get. With the help of friends Luxandra, Kiri, and Suzanna, however, she advances in her training. Pretty normal, right? Wrong. Luxandra should be dead. Suzanna should be discharged. Misaki herself should have vanished in the exodus from the Watcher’s Nest outpost. And the mysterious life form known as the Ghoul still keeps popping up.

It’s up to Lieutenant Commander Ertiana and the rest of the survivors from Watcher’s Nest to find out why everything on Earth is back to normal… when everything else in the universe is anything but.

Review
I have always been a fan of Misaki-chan since her Divergence Eve days. Now we are into the chronicles; Misaki Chronicles to be exact. What is new? What is there to be expected? Well, first off, this series takes place before the original Divergence Eve and second, it has a lighter atmosphere; from the theme songs to seeing Misaki in her sexy uniform for her part time job. Speaking about the ecchi, I am now beginning to believe that ADV Films should have included a ‘Jiggle Counter’ for this show, just like they did for Burn-Up W. I mean, yeah, there are a lot of jiggles. Picture Misaki wearing a tank top braless running laps. There got that image? Okay, moving on…

In this series, we are going to discover why Misaki joined Watcher’s Nest. From the indications so far, it is due to her father and her strong desire to want to learn why her father was so intent on leaving his family for space and why her mom would always wait for him with a smile on her face every time he left. That is something that is only touched upon for a bit in the volume. Right after she graduated from military training, we are fast forwarded to a mission, and this is the point where everything just begins to break down; not in a good way. Suddenly we are shown Misaki’s childhood form. That certainly does not sound strange, until you bring in the current Misaki into the mix. Yes, I am talking about two Misakis. What is more weird is that the show moves a bit too fast, skipping some scenes that might help the viewers in their overall comprehension.

That is most likely the negative of this show so far. I just could not make a good connection with the graduation, the mission, and then Lyar doing time travels hunting down ghouls. But we do get a chance to see mature Misaki in a kimono (^_^)'’. From the future to the past… past past, ninja era past. I mean, I feel so awkward, I know the ghouls exist, but what do ninjas have to do with the whole big picture? What does little Misaki have to do with the series other than to freak people out at times? These questions should be answered in the later episodes, but Misaki Chronicles right now is a great piece if you like jiggles and a show filled with the necessity to think things through in order to make the most sense out of it.

The Breakdown
I only had three advanced episodes at hand, and I felt at the end of the third episode, something was finally beginning to brew… that was when the volume came to an end, for me :(.

Synopsis
If you’re on his hit list… you’re already dead. On his 62nd birthday, oil baron Leonard Dawson witnesses the public assassination of his son and heir, Robert. From this point on, Leonard becomes obsessed with revenge on the hitman - code name: GOLGO 13. Dawson spares nothing to enlist the CIA, FBI, and U.S. military in an unrelenting manhunt for his son’s killer. As GOLGO’s survival depends on stopping Dawson himself, the hunter and the hunted chase each other in a breathless game of kill or be killed.

Review
Golgo 13 is back. Robert Dawson, the heir to the Leonard Dawson’s riches and business is suddenly assassinated. With his son capped (nice alternative term to shot I guess ;D) in the head and dead in his arms, he swore to find who had committed such act; even if it meant sacrificing his relatives. As Leonard Dawson gathers up information with his intelligence, Golgo takes up another job of assassinating a mafia leader. With only having the name of the leader and no pictures, Golgo sets to work his way in through the leader’s beautiful but deadly daughter.

Now here is where we see an example of his ‘charm’ that women see in him. After beating up some of her bodyguards, she invites him to her home and, obviously, well aware of whom he was and what his motives were, she proceeds to have sex with him anyways. For those who are lucky, they survived, and that of course is no one other than Golgo. For the unlucky men that messed with her, she had them killed after. I guess those are the sacrifices one must take in order to obtain something else? Oh wells.

When that job got taken cared of, it goes right back to Dawson’s son murder. As an oil baron, and his wealth, Dawson’s connections are second to none. I mean, CIA, the military, dangerous convicts and mercenaries? This guy just bribes everyone with his dollars. His obsession to kill Golgo and his ego did not want to believe the true reason behind Robert’s death. The story unfolds to a rather unexpected ending. It is a test of, whether you see what is in front of you or look for clues to look around instead. If you are a person to look for hints, then you can pretty much guess how it ended like me. But for those who like to watch instead of guess… umm… have fun? Hehe.

The Breakdown
I felt that the story gets dragged on at times. While Golgo 13 is a cool customer, ‘The Professional’ certainly is not. Just move on.

Synopsis
Mars is now almost entirely covered in water. Humanity exists in large city-ships that float through the open seas. But life is hard for those who live on Mars – the economy is in bad shape, work is scarce, and food is expensive and highly prized. Gram and his friends try to do the best they can, but the work keeps drying up. Some have taken to a life of piracy to combat the corruption in the government; one such group is the pirates of the feared Ship of Aurora. And the Earth government, which rules Mars, has dispatched a new team of military pilots to combat them. In their specialized mecha called Round Bucklers, they must make the seas of Mars safe for humanity. Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, Gram finds himself on the run with the most notorious pirates on Mars. But here’s on thing – he’s starting to like them!

Review
Here is one of those rare anime shows where the main character, Gram, takes the presumably “evil” side of things. Of course it did not start that way until he got fired yet again from his job. Having nothing to do, he is approached with a job. The job? Stealing rations and things from the Mars government and selling it back to the “poor.” Gram, knowing who he was dealing with, declines the offer, but his friend, Bon, on the other hand accepts the job behind Gram’s back and here is where all the trouble begins to brew.

The Ship of Aurora, also known as the pirate ship decides to attack one of the ports so that they can go do whatever a pirate does. Coincidently, they attacked the same port as the dude who offered Gram the job. When Gram discovers that Bon accepted the job, he rushes to the location only to see the police seizing what the thieves were doing. When everyone scrambles, Gram grabs Bon and makes a run for it. As they come to a dead end, suddenly the Ship of Aurora hits the port and water starts to flood in the area. Upon nearly drowning in the Mars Ocean, Gram’s necklace begins to illuminate and a Round Buckler (RB) comes to his rescue. This RB is later on named the “Vector of Hope.”

The Mars Daybreak sounds so corny, but when you watch it, it becomes a totally different story. Probably the only part that was a bit slow was the first five minutes of the first episode. After that, the show cruises through and every second becomes a joy to watch. The plot is very intriguing in that it makes you wonder about the possibilities. What if this or what if that? And you better do this or is this going to happen next? I just love it when an anime sparks my brain power. The characters are all unique in a way. It feels like they all have a long story to tell about their backgrounds; especially the pirates of the Ship of Aurora and that just makes the show even more interesting. Of course speaking of characters, I cannot forget to mention the mecha designs. What we have here are underwater robots, not your usual land and air Gundams :). The way Gram and Yagami’s Round Bucklers are detailed, I just felt the urge to go out and buy a model of it if it existed. Hey maybe I will go check later.

Anyways, the Mars Daybreak has truly impressed me so far. Laughing and enjoying every bit of the moment seems so natural for me. The mixture of comedy, with an engaging story, and likable characters makes this anime an amazing feat. You will be sure to fall in love, when you check this piece out.

The Breakdown
The Mars Daybreak is astonishing. I am in love with everything that it is delivering to me. Be sure to not miss it!

Synopsis
Five years ago, as the Mimetic Beasts laid waste to Japan, Dannar Pilot Goh saved young Anna Aoi’s life. Now, as they prepare to march down the aisle, a new Beast appears and Goh is summoned into battle once more. But he’s not going alone; not if his blushing bride-to-be can help it! It’s a honeymoon from hell as two stubborn mecha pilots bump heads, egos and other bits; but if Anna and Goh can mate their robots’ interlocking parts, they’ll form the ultimate marriage of man, woman and machine! The battle of the sexes and the battle of the future of mankind are fought simultaneously in the wildest giant robot series ever, GODANNAR!

Review
Fan service galore? You can call Godannar that. While it looks every bit like another Gravion mecha title, Godannar separates itself right off the bat by implementing a cute female lead character in Anna. The story revolves around humans, machines and invading aliens; the Mimetic Beasts. It began with the great battle; one that nearly destroyed Japan. It is there where Goh, the Dannar pilot lost and gained at the same time. Lost? Well telling you would be a spoiler, so I will just go with the gain. During the battle he saves Anna and miraculously the Dannar gathered up an ounce of energy left to continue the fight between the invader. And that, my friend, is the first ten or so minutes of the show.

Now if you are a fan of the ecchi humor genre, then you absolutely cannot go wrong with Godannar. Big boobie hotties and lovely beauties. Man, you sometimes just wish you were in the anime instead of watching it. I surely did :). The animation quality along with the mecha and character designs are dazzling. The plot, while might not be very interesting due to the fact that there are already a few of these titles around (Gravion, to name one), attracts you by its comedy and the experience delivered by the characters’ interactions with one another, as well as the mecha action; which comes together quite well.

Overall, Godannar is a perverted fans’ haven. Scandalous uniforms, weird situations, and hey, even some of the robots has breasts, so go figure ;). This series’ strong points are its relentless assault on the viewers through fan service, and I have to say, the statements made, leaves a deep captivating impression that will surely bring it a lot of attention.

The Breakdown
Godannar is a nice little series. It was a fun experience to have.

Synopsis
Two years after the final confrontation of Sephiroth within the northern crater, three new youths on motorbikes ambush Cloud. They are in search of the missing remains of their mother, Jenova. Once Jenova’s cells are in their possession, the Reunion can proceed. In other words, it would bring about the nightmare of Sephiroth once more and the destruction of the world. It is all mother’s will…

Review
The most anticipated movie since 2003 has finally arrived on Japanese shores. Based on what may possibly be the greatest game of all time, Final Fantasy 7, which truly defined the Playstation console, Advent Children has sold more than 420,000 units in Japan within the first week of it’s debut on September 14, 2005.

The term Advent Children refers to the coming or arrival of the three children actually teenagers Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz that together make up Kadaj’s gang. All of which have the potential to become another Sephiroth. During this time Tifa’s 7th Heaven bar, formerly the headquarters of Barret’s Avalanche renegade group, now acts as both the office of the Strife Delivery Service and as an orphanage. Aeris has been long dead, yet Cloud is still guilt-stricken over the loss.

The Official Japanese website is located at http://www.square-enix.co.jp/dvd/ff7ac/ with Flash interface where you’ll find a couple wallpapers, trailers, character bios. Soundtrack information can be found at http://www.square-enix.co.jp/music/sem/page/ff7ac/ which features the list of tracks and five samples.

The Breakdown
Sexy Japanese voices, sexy leather outfits, huge and long swords. What better combination is there?

Synopsis
Seina Yamada has the worst luck. When he tries to walk down stairs, he trips. When he rides his bike, it falls apart. And when a giant spaceship crashes on Earth, it almost lands right on his head!

But Seina’s luck just might be changing for the better when he is presented with an out of this world possibility… to enter the prestigious Galaxy Police Academy! So what if his ticket into the GP was due to a case of mistaken identity! Nothing bad ever happens in space, right?

Review
Tenchi Muyo GXP has been released a year or so already. When it first hit the streets, I was skeptical about it. “Another Tenchi Muyo?” was what was on my mind. And because of what I thought back then, I have neglected this great title until now. In this addition of the Tenchi Muyo saga we pause from the life of Tenchi Masaki and instead follow the unlucky life of Seina Yamada. This dude’s run ins with bad luck is just ridiculously hilarious. One life threatening experience followed by another. That is just the norm that he deals with daily. But one day upon visiting his friend Kai, he unexpectingly “meets” Amane, a Galaxy Police over at Tenchi’s place. After a few quick scenes he is presented with a GP (Galaxy Police) pamphlet from Amane. And that is where everything begins to untangle.

When it comes to a Tenchi Muyo title, one of the things you know it will feature is a group of lovely females swarming one average dude; in GXP’s case, Seina. The ecchi humor is a little bit more “mature” compared to the Tenchi Muyo OAV that I have watched a few years ago, but when compared to an ecchi humor title that is more recent… it stands quite on the same plain.

The show commences off slow, and I was close to turning it off until Amane came in at the half point mark of the first episode and made it interesting. From then on, one thing let to another in the show and I just could not get enough. I was so addicted that I watched the show as much as I could fit in my tight schedule, and I managed to fit the whole twenty six episodes in two days. Even now, I feel like watching it again :), too bad I have to move on :(.

With the new twist of having Seina as the character of focus, instead of Tenchi, it brings in a refreshed feeling. It was a great revival of Tenchi Muyo for me. The story revolves around Seina’s luck, or lack there of. His ability to rack up pirates for the GP to apprehend is never before seen. And with this natural ability, Seina soon receives a ship to command and of course, babes to assist him on his journey.

The animation was a joyful experience. The mecha designs are pretty cool, and the character designs was one of the elements that brought this anime out of the box. Overall, Tenchi Muyo GXP is very impressive. FUNimation did a superb job in the release, and with four DVD sets to be released later this month (November 22, 2005), there is not a reason in the world, you should not take a look at this title.

The Breakdown
Tenchi Muyo GXP has become my favorite Tenchi Muyo series for the meantime… can anymore wonders be created for this saga? I certainly hope so. But as for GXP, I truly believe it is worth your hard earned/saved change. And as mentioned above, with FUNimation’s re-release of the series in four DVD sets at a great price of $29.99 each. Now is your chance to own this amazing piece!

Synopsis
The kingdom of Kuruda has known many warriors, none greater than the Sevalle, an elite breed whose mastery of martial arts has made them legendary. But for the 59th Sevalle, Elle Ragu, a.k.a. Shadow Skill, being a legend is shaping up to be something of a drag. After all, adventure alone doesn’t pay the rent, and living check to check takes its toll on even the fiercest warrior. Strong as an ox and stubborn as a mule she may be, but it’s drinking like a fish that usually gets Elle in trouble. And as she travels alongside her brother Gau, leaving property damage and unpaid bar-tabs in their wake, a new threat looms on the horizon: spies from the kingdom of Solfan have entered the picture, and Kuruda seems to be headed for war…

Review
Shadow Skill is an action packed anime filled with martial arts, magic talisman users, and demons; along with a touch of hot-blooded-super-robot-like-screams, this anime just becomes that much more interesting and worthwhile to view.

What I found interesting when I watched Shadow Skill was how things were set up. The characters. for one, were very actively introduced. In volume one of Shadow Skill, we see a very immediate and unique development in some of the characters such as Elle and her charismatic personality as well as giving her an image of a quick-to-act-on-everything person. Each character also seem to have a mind of his or her own as narration of characters shifts constantly from third person perspective to first person perspective where the viewers can understand the motives behind each action and decision.

The first three episodes does not hint to what the plot of this anime is other than the fact that something is going to happen to the kingdom of Kuruda. What I do like, however, is that volume one sets up a feeling of adventure, almost like a Role Playing Game. There is the protagonist Elle, who has the ability to use secret martial arts techniques (also the same with her younger brother), her ‘guardian’ who has the ability to use talisman magic, and a young girl who has the ability to use rings as weapon that has the power to restrain demons. A distinction of character attributes gives a feel like each character has something different to contribute further into the anime. But as for now, Elle is currently the 59th Sevalle and her past is fairly unknown.

Animation and music were also well done. I will admit that it did get a little annoying to see the screen turn black and some letters written out right before the attack, but the animation itself does not lack brilliance in colors or character designs. I looked at the structure and design of the coliseum Elle fought at and felt like I was in Rome (maybe a little exaggeration). Furthermore, the music is well composed. Everything played seems to fit perfectly with whatever is happening whether it was a sad moment or a happy one.

Shadow Skill volume one does a great job introducing some of the main characters as well as setting up an adventure to come.

The Breakdown
You’ll like this is you are searching for an anime full of action and excitement. Who doesn’t want to see a girl kick ass?

Synopsis
They’re doing it all for love! Life isn’t easy for the girls in the super-secret Virgi Fleet. Schoolwork is rough and the competition’s brutal. Luckily, cadets are trained in the use of “Virgin Energy,” serous blasting power useful for playing pranks, scuffing with the (ick!) boys, and blowing enemy war planes out of the sky!

Review
Virgin Fleet, the name of the title already suggests the wrong idea. No, this is not a hentai title, as much as it sounds like one. Instead it is a title about a character named Shiokaze Umino, whom goes about finding her reason to fight in an effort to save her nation… although it did not begin that way.

Before Shiokaze’s parents passed away, she had a marriage arranged for her already. The circumstances? She must graduate from the Academy, in which she learns to hone her “virgin” energy. This energy hidden within females was powerful enough for both sides of the war to call a cease-fire agreement previously. But as tie goes on, people tend to forget about the past and again a new breed of virgin energy must emerge.

Virgin Fleet is pretty much an average title. There is nothing splashy and nothing too bad about it. The comedy is there, but obviously it was not the main focus, as some of it, you probably would not even understand until a minute after what was said. The story is quick paced, it could be the fastest ninety minutes experience ever. Because it was fast, there was not any excess time for it to get side tracked, hence, creating a story that is to the point and enjoyable for those who like to keep their anime time to a minimum. For me? Well, my anime time is for as long as I can stay awake the whole day, so I will have to say, Virgin Fleet is a nifty title, but it is not for the viewers who would want to a lengthier story development in their anime.

The Breakdown
This title is average at best. The re-view value is low and it felt like everything was rushed right through. One scene to another, bam bam bam and the credits roll. :/.